The SparkFun Inventor's Kit (SIK) is a great way to get started with programming and hardware interaction with the Arduino programming language. The SIK includes everything you need to complete five overarching projects consisting of 16 interconnected circuits that teach everything from blinking an LED to reading sensors. The culminating project is your very own autonomous robot! No previous programming or electronics experience is required to use this kit.

The full-color, spiral-bound SIK guidebook (included) contains step-by-step instructions with circuit diagrams and hookup tables for building each project and circuit with the included parts. Full example code is provided, new concepts and components are explained at point of use, and troubleshooting tips offer assistance if something goes wrong.

The kit does not require any soldering and is recommended for beginners ages 10 and up who are looking for an Arduino starter kit. For SIK version 4.1 we took an entirely different approach to teaching embedded electronics. In previous versions of the SIK, each circuit focused on introducing a new piece of technology. With SIK v4.1, components are introduced in the context of the circuit you are building, and each circuit builds upon the last, leading up to a project that incorporates all of the components and concepts introduced throughout the guide. With new parts and a completely new strategy, even if you've used the SIK before, you're in for a brand-new experience!

The SIK V4.1 includes the Redboard Qwiic which allows you to expand into the SparkFun Qwiic ecosystem after you have become proficient with the SIK circuits. The SparkFun Qwiic Connect System is an ecosystem of I2C sensors, actuators, shields and cables that make prototyping faster and less prone to error. All Qwiic-enabled boards use a common 1mm pitch, 4-pin JST connector. This reduces the amount of required PCB space, and polarized connections mean you can’t hook it up wrong. With the addition of the SparkFun RedBoard Qwiic, you will need to download a new driver install that is different from the original SparkFun RedBoard.